A school has issued warnings to parents after a “freaky” man allegedly watched and followed a group of children after school.

Honywood Community Science School, in Westfield Drive, Coggeshall, sent out alerts to parents last Wednesday morning after a pupil had said she felt like she and her friends were being “watched” in Church Street last Tuesday afternoon.

The Year 7 pupil, aged 11 or 12, had ran home after she saw a man, aged about 30, watching and following her as she went into Martin McColl newsagents, in Church Street, and Co-op in Doubleday Corner, it is believed.

The alert, which was sent to all parents and primary schools in the area, read: "One of our learners has reported a man behaving oddly outside Martins in Coggeshall after school yesterday.

“He was described as approx 30, 5 '7", wearing black jeans, a hoody and a red top."